往生集 1.117

1.117

唐惟岸。并州人。約淨土為真歸之地。行方等懺。服勤無缺微疾。見觀音勢至二菩薩現於空中。岸召畫工。無能畫者。忽有二人。自言能畫。畫畢不見。岸乃告諸弟子曰。吾今往生。誰偕行者。有童子願往。岸令辭父母。父母謂為戲言未信也。頃之沐浴更衣。入道場念佛而化。岸撫其背曰。小子何得先吾行耶。因索筆讚二菩薩。有願以慈悲手。提獎共西行之句。讚畢長逝。

Weian of the Tang was a native of Bingzhou. He resolved upon the Pure Land as his true place of return, practiced the Vaipulya repentance, and served diligently without flaw. When slightly ill, he saw the two bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta appear in the sky. An summoned painters, but none could paint them. Suddenly two men appeared, who said of themselves that they could paint them; when the painting was finished, they vanished. An then told his disciples: 'I am now departing for rebirth. Who will accompany me?' A boy wished to go. An instructed him to take leave of his parents, but his parents thought it was a joke and did not believe it. Shortly thereafter, having bathed and changed his clothes, he entered the sanctuary, practiced buddhamanasikāra, and passed away. An patted his back, saying: 'Child, how could you precede my departure?' He then called for a brush to praise the two bodhisattvas, including the verse: 'I pray that with your hands of compassion, / You will lead and guide me to travel west together.' When the praise was finished, he passed away forever.